About Kino Catechetical Institute · Phoenix
Kino Catechetical Institute, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is a Catholic formation center under the Diocese of Phoenix that provides catechetical education and certification for lay Catholics, teachers, and parish leaders. Founded in 1972 by Fr. Ernest Larkin, O.Carm., it offers courses to deepen faith knowledge and equip participants to articulate and defend the Catholic Church’s teachings. The institute serves a wide audience including Catholic school teachers, parish catechists, curious Catholics, and those discerning a call to the permanent diaconate.
Kino Catechetical Institute offers structured catechetical formation programs designed to deepen participants’ understanding of Catholic doctrine and their ability to live and share their faith. It provides certification for catechists employed by diocesan institutions and delivers courses via live internet streaming to remote parishes. The institute’s mission is to form laypeople to respond to Christ’s call to discipleship through intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral formation. It is housed at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix and serves the broader Catholic community across Arizona, with programs available in both English and Spanish.
- In business
- since 1972
- Owner
- Fr. Ernest Larkin, O.Carm.
- Serves
- Phoenix, Arizona; serves parishes across the Diocese of Phoenix
In their own words
Kino Catechetical Institute, a department of the Diocese of Phoenix
What We Do
Kino Catechetical Institute provides courses of study in catechetical formation intended to deepen each student’s knowledge of the faith, and love for Jesus. In so doing, Kino serves Catholics who wish to grow in their understanding of Christ’s Church, and prepares its graduates to effectively articulate and defend their faith. In addition, Kino Catechetical Institute is in charge of the catechist certification process for all those employed by diocesan institutions. Kino courses can be delivered live to outlying parishes via the Internet. Interested parishes can contact Kino for more information.
Our Mission
Kino Catechetical Institute exists to provide foundational formation in Catholic doctrine, equipping the laity to respond to Christ’s call to discipleship. Kino Catechetical Institute fulfills its mission by: Deepening the human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation for service. Providing dynamic, orthodox catechetical formation. Embracing the mission of the Church to evangelize the culture with the love of Christ. Forming students to bear joyful witness to the Gospel by charitably articulating and defending the Faith.
Our History
Kino Catechetical Institute was founded in 1972 by Fr. Ernest Larkin, O.Carm. and was named in honor of Padre Eusebio Kino (1645 -1711), an Italian Jesuit who pioneered missions for Spain in Sonora and Arizona. In the years since its founding, Kino has served the adult faith formation needs of the diocese in a variety of ways, and continues to provide the diocese with Catholic lay people educated in their faith and prepared to serve under the mission of the Church. Formerly located in its own building in central Phoenix, Kino Catechetical Institute is now housed downtown at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.